Orthopedic appliance



J; F. BARRY. 'ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE. APPLIICATION-FILED JUNE 11.. 1919.

Patented Apr. 12, 19-21.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH F. BARRY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ORTHOEEDIC APPLIANCE.

Application filed June 11, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Josnrn: F. BARRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Orthopedic Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has particular reference to an orthopedic appliance more in the nature of a splint, and it has for its primary aim and object to provide a universally adaptable device for application to any part or portion of the body and its limbs for maintain ing the injured or broken members in a proper and predetermined relation whereby rapid healing and restoration is permitted.

Broadly, the invention may be considered as consisting of a pair of body-embracing members having universal or free pivotal connection with the opposite ends of an adjustable brace or bar, and means for fixing the connections between the body-embracing 'members and the interposed brace so as to afiord a rigid structure capable of supporting weak and limp or broken parts of the body in a set and predetermined position.

Specifically, my invention may be said to consist of a brace bar comprising adjustably and extensibly connected sections, metal bands of arcuate design and lined with leather bands to be laced or otherwise secured about the body, ears secured on the outer face of the metal bands and perforated to receive pivot screw bolts which are passed through registering perforations in the ends of the brace bar, nuts for tightening the adjustment between the bar and ears, and lock washers cooperating with the bolts and nuts for maintaining the same in a set relation.

The invention further resides in the features of construction, and the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described in detail and claimed in a succinct manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved orthopedic splint or apphance, illus trating its application to an injured arm or leg for holding the same against bending and in a definite position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device as applied for the strengthening of a weakened wrist, such as wrist drop resulting from a torn ligament;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through one Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

Serial No. 303,470.

of the body-embracing or encircling members, the View being taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Figs. at, 5, 6 and 7 depict a few of the further usages and adaptations to which my invention is capable of being readily placed.

teferring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, and proceeding in accordance with the present invention, the numerals 1 designate the metal, arcuate bands of the body-encircling members and 2 the leather straps or hands lining the metal bands and being secured thereto as by the rivets 3. The leather straps preferably have their free and unsupported ends formed with transverse series of eyelets through which the binding lacings d are threaded for firmly securing the respective members to the trunk, arms or legs of the body, as is most clearly exemplified in the drawing.

Projecting from the periphery or convex face of the metal bands 1 are perforated ears 5, the same being passed through the bands and riveted, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to be firmly and securely fixed thereto. The single perforation of each ear aifords a bearing for the pivot screw bolt 6 that connects the band to a respective end of the extensible and adjustable brace bar 7. The form of connection employed consists of means for rendering the same rigid or non-pivotal when occasion demands. To this end I provide a clamping or tightening nut 8 on each pivot screw bolt, and between the nut and bolt head and the parts being clamped are interposed lock washers 9, one bearing against the head of the bolt and the ear 5 and the other against the nut and the adjacent end portion of the brace bar. Consequently, when the nut is tightened to clamp the bodyencircling member fixed relative to the brace bar the relation is maintained by reason of the lock washers. This fixed relation is highly important for if the pivotal connection alone is obtainable, the injured part could easily drop from the proper position. To make it rigid only, the universality of the appliance would be done away with, not being applicable and adjustable to the various parts of the body, and thereby limit its field of use very materially.

The brace bar, constituting the connecting link between the body-encircling members or hands, embodies two short, flat bars or links, each provided. with a lengthwise series of threaded m openings 10 adapted to register with those of the series in the companion link for receiving one or more screws 11. When the bar links are in extended and alined relation two screws are employed to afford added securement, but when the links assume an angular relation, as depicted in Fig. 6, a single screw very efficiently functions to hold the links rigid. In some instances it is found desirable to employ only one link, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

For the fiexion of the elbow and the knee, the device is usually applied and positioned as shown in Fig. 5 while for a wound on the elbow or knee it is positioned as depicted in Fig. 6 where the angular brace or connecting bar serves also in the capacity of guard for the wound. Fig. 2 shows the device applied for the wrist drop and Fig. 7 for the toe drop, two complaints resulting from torn ligaments. For abduction of the arm from the body, one of the body-encircling members is laced about the trunk adjacent the waist line, as indicated in both the full lines and the dotted lines of Fig. 4e, and the brace bar thence adjusted.

The use and adaptability of the present invention is not limited to those illustrated in the drawing for obviously it may also be used for bracing the neck and head and many other parts of the body. The universality of the device is therefore very apparent.

What is claimed is- 1. An orthopedic appliance comprising a pair of body supporting members, a rigid connecting member pivotally connected at its ends to the respective body supporting members whereby the latter may be adjusted from one side to the other side of the rigid member, and means for fixedly clamping the pivotal connections between said members connecting bar having its end perforated to register with the perforations of the ears, pivot screw bolts passed through the registering perforations, clamping nuts on the bolts for rendering the pivotal connection rigid, and lock washers inter )osed between the heads of the bolts, the nuts and the clamped interposed parts.

4:. An orthopedic appliance comprising, in its entirety, space-d body encircling members each having a single radial projection,.a connecting rigid member, and means for con necting the connecting rigid member to the radial projections for selective pivot'al and rigid relation.

5. An orthopedic appliance comprising a pair of'body-receiving members, and a selfsustaining connecting member having the first members pivotally connected to the respective ends of said connecting members for swinging about the ends from one side to the other whereby said body-receiving members may be selectively positioned transversely as well as parallel relative to the said connecting members.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

JOSEPH F. BARRY. 

